Paint pan bracket



D. H. STAMM PAINT PAN BRACKET Filed Oct. 12. .1966

Oct. 28, 1969 m m I m V m 25%! 20M Mal/a Fig. 1.

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paint pan for roller applicators, downwardly opening spring brackets at the bottom front of the panfor reception on round ladder rungs, rearwardly opening brackets behind the downwardly opening brackets and disposed for reception of step-type rungs of ladders, and

an adjustable link for connection between the rear end of the pan and a ladder rung above the pan for rear end support, the link being readily disconnectable from the rung and the pan.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a means for supporting a paint pan on a ladder and more particularly relates to an improved ladder engaging bracket means.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved device which enables the use of a paint pan in connection with long standard ladders including extension ladders.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable bracket means for supporting ladder. I

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for providing a bracket means usable with a paint pan adapted for use with a roller brush wherein said bracket means facilitates the mounting and removal of the paint pan to a ladder.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a bracket means of the type described which is readily detached from and connected to a paint pan.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a paint pan with a supporting bracket to be used in connection with a ladder. The paint pan is of the type used with a conventional roller type brush and usable with extension ladders. A pair of clamps which encircle a rung of a ladder are disposed adjacent one end of the pan. A hook adapted to receive an adjustable rod is disposed adjacent the opposite end of the pan. The rod is adjustable so that it may be elongated or retracted to keep the pan in a level position at all times.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an extension ladder having a paint pan supported by the paint pan bracket of the present invention, the ladder being in position against the side of the building.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paint pan attached to a ladder.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the paint pan showing the rung-engaging bracket.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown generally at reference numeral 10 a paint pan having a transverse front wall 11, a transverse rear wall 12, side walls 13 and a bottom 14. The bottom has a first portion 15 inclined downwardly from the front wall, an intermediate inclined portion 16 and a portion 17 which provides the bottom of the well. The intermediate inclined portion is inclined downwardly from said first ina paint pan on a ,4 3,474,996 Patented Oct. 28, 1969 clined portion to the well bottom providing portion. Rungengaging brackets 18 are coupled to and depend downwardly from the bottom of the pan adacent front wall.

The rung-engaging brackets support the front portion of the paint pan when it is afiixed to a rung 19 of a ladder 20. Th rear portion of the paint pan is supported by an adjustable rod shown generally at 21. One end of the rod is formed into a hook 23 which engages a rung 19 above the rung 19 engaged by the brackets 18. The other end of the rod is adapted to be pivotably and removably coupled to the rear wall of the paint pan. Brackets 18' are afiixed to the bottom of the paint pan adjacent brackets 18. Brackets 18 are adapted to engage the step-typ rungs of a step ladder. Thus, the pan is usable with either an extension or a stepladder.

The adjustable rod 21 includes a tube 24 which is adapted to slidably receive a length adjusting rod 25 therein. As can be seen in FIG, 2, one end of the tube 24 is flattened and bent to form the hook which engages a ladder rung, and the second end and an intermediate portion of the tube slidably receives the rod 25. The free end of the rod 25 is bent to form a loop 22 which, as shown in FIG. 1, may be a triangular loop. A hollow, cylindrical sleeve 26 is secured to the free end of tube 24. Rod 25 is slidably received or threadably received in the sleeve or in both the sleeve and in tube 24.

The sleeve has an aperture which receives a set screw 27. When the set screw is tightened it abutts against rod 25 and prevents movement thereof. When it is necessary to adjust the over-all length of adjustable rod 21, the set screw is loosened and the rod 25 is either moved in or out of the sleeve 26.

The second end of the adjustable rod 21 is received in a substantially inverted U-shaped channel which is formed from the tongue portion 29 of a plate 28 which is afiixed to the rear wall of the paint pan. The tongue is somewhat resilient so that when the second end of the rod is slipped under the channel and into position, the tongue is moved outwardly, but then returned to its original position to fit tightly against the second end of the rod to secure it to the paint pan. The second end may be flattened and bent to form :a hook which engages a slot in the rear wall of the paint pan rather than the arrangement shown in FIG. 2. The adjustable support rod therefore, is removable from the pan so that the pan may be utilized with a step ladder which has a pan supporting bracket without interference from the support rod which would extend over the paint pan when not affixed to a rung of a ladder. The rod is easily inserted onto the paint pan and removed therefrom, tnd provides a convenient support means which adapts the paint pan so that it is usable with an extension ladder.

It is noted in FIG. 3, that the rung-engaging brackets have resilient side walls which are deformed outwardly when the brackets are placed above a rung and press down but which snap back into position to secure the front portion of the pan to a rung of a ladder.

The paint pan as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is easily removed from and attached to an extension ladder. The adjustable support rod may be lengthened or shortened depending upon the length between the rungs of the ladder.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a substantially rectangular paint pan having transverse front and rear walls, side walls and a bottom adapted to provide a paint well adjacent said rear wall, said bottom having a first portion inclined downwardly from said front wall, and a portion which provides the bottom of said well, the improvement comprising; bracket means attached to said pan near said front wall and disposed for reception of a ladder rung, said bracket means including a downwardly opening bracket having resilient sidewalls resiliently deformable outwardly when pressed downwardly onto a ladder rung and resiliently returnable around said rung upon its reception therein to secure the front portion of said pan thereto, an adjustable support link having first and second ends, said first end being removably and pivotally coupled to the rear wall of said pan, and said second end being terminated in hook means above said pan for connection to a ladder rung above said pan, said adjustable support link additionally comprising a tubular member adapted to slidably receive a length adjusting rod therein, said adjusting rod having a smaller diameter than said tubular member; a first end of said tubular member terminating in said hook means, a second end of said tubular member adapted to receive said adjusting rod; said adjusting rod having a first end slidably received in said tubular member and a second end removably and pivotally coupled to said rear wall of said paint pan; and means for releasably securing said tubular member and adjusting rod, said securing means being adjustable to allow lengthening or shortening of said adjustable support link by sliding said adjusting rod away from or toward said tubular member, said securing means comprising a cylindrical sleeve, said second end of said tubular member being received in and fixedly coupled to a portion of said sleeve, said means affixed to said rear wall of said pan for pivotally receiving said second end of said rod, said means including a substantially fiat portion coupled to said rear wall and an upwardly extending tongue, a portion of said tongue being outwardly and downwardly turned to form an inverted U-shaped channel for receiving said second end of said rod, said second end of said rod having an aperture means formed therein so that said rod is removably positioned within said means.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, said U-shaped channel additionally includes a fixed side wall and a resilient side wall, said resilient side wall being outwardly deformable when saidrod is positioned in said channel, said side wall returnng to its original state to securely engage said second end of said rod.

3. The improvement defined in claim 2, said second end of said rod forming a substantially triangular loop, the base of said loop being retained'within said inverted U-shaped channel.

4. The improvement defined in claim 3 said first end of said rod being flattened and curved downwardly to form said hook means.

5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

said bracket means includes a rearwardly opening bracket behind said downwardly opening bracket for reception of a step-by-stcp ladder rung therein.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein:

said pan bottom has an intermediate inclined portion between said first portion and said well bottom forming'portion, and; V

said rearwardly opening bracket is disposed below said downwardly inclined first portion of said pan bottom and spaced ahead of said intermediate inclined portion for reception of the front edge of the step-type ladder rung therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 407,079 7/1889 Laskey 182--121 606,763 7/1898 Lukens 248238 1,216,214 2/1917 Connell 248238 X 1,452,182 4/1923 Butrum 248-238 X 1,645,879 10/1927 Skeels 182-121 3,009,677 11/1961 Munnikhuysen 248-210 X 2,694,825 11/1954 Touchett et a1. 248-313 X 2,963,761 12/1960 Haydock 24257 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 248--226, 333 

